Phylogenetic contributions of partial 26s rDNA sequences to the tribe helleboreae (ranunculaceae)

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Abstract
Monophyly and intergeneric relationships of the tribe Helleboreae, sensu Tamura, and related genera were studied using a 1,100‐bp segment at the 5’ end of the 26S ribosomal RNA gene. Forty‐one OTUs, including eight species of the Helleboreae, were either directly sequenced or obtained from previous publications. Data were analyzed using distance and discrete character methods to infer phylogenetic relationships among the included taxa. The inferred phylogeny did not support monophyly of either Helleboreae or Cimicifugeae whose members were intermixed in our inferred phylogeny. This result is congruent with our previous study, which recommended against finely subdividing, suprageneric higher taxa within the R‐chromosome group (subfamily Ranuncluloideae, sensu lato) until more molecular data were accumulated. Our data convincingly suggest the presence of the following three monophyletic groups: the Cimicifuga group (the clade of Actaea, Cimicifuga, Souliea, Eranthis, Anemonopsis, and Beesia), the Trollius group {the clade of Troltius, Megaleranthis, Adonis), and a clade including Anemonopsis and Beesia. Our data also suggest that Trollius and Megaleranthis might be congeners and Eranthis a paraphyletic group